Participation of leukemia cells in immune responses

Cells of a transplantable lymphoid leukemia of mice were tested in vivo and in vitro to see which features of normal lymphoid cells were retained in spite of malignant transformation and lack of growth control. Leukemia cells phagocytosed, adhered to glass, possessed receptors for immunoglobulin, participated in the immune response against SRBC (probably by amplifying a normal response through attachement of antibodies on their surfaces), became recruited into inflammatory reactions elicited by grafting allogeneic of syngeneic skin, and apparently joined graft-versus-host and host-versus-graft reactions, contributing toward damage of hemopoietic target tissues.